According to the latest census numbers (2008), women make $0.77 to every man's dollar (1) and the average revenues of majority women-owned businesses were still only 27% of the average of majority men-owned businesses (2). My hope for Sparking Cinderalla is to foster a community of support for female entrepreneurs as well as provide a little juicy insight into who these women are in their everyday lives. After all, as Mama Gena says, "Women are the greatest untapped natural resource in the world."

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Jean Chuang Menges: Wisdom House New York

I founded Wisdom House New York, Inc. in 2009 based on my philosophy of health and wellness. I am trained in both western medicine with degrees in biology and medical technology, and in eastern medicine with training and certifications in acupuncture and oriental medicine. I envisioned a holistic center where expert practitioners of various healing disciplines come together and integrate their modalities to help optimize the health and well being of the individual client. Wisdom House is located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.

WHO ARE YOU?1. What made you decide to start your company?
In late 2008, several energy medicine practitioners approached me to start a low-cost community clinic for energetic modalities. We opened our first 4Women Community Clinic in NYC and began treating clients using the BodyTalk System, Matrix Energetics, Yuen Method, Total Body Modification, and Natural Healing. Each of these techniques has helped thousands of people worldwide to empower their health. Working with these three inspirational women reenergized my life-long passion for community health and philanthropic work. In July 2009, I began the groundwork for Wisdom House New York, Inc.

2. Where do you see your business in 5 years?
My dream is to have multiple locations in the tri-state area providing holistic health-care modalities in private practice sessions as well as reduced-cost clinics in under-served neighborhoods. Our company philanthropic focus will be on improving neighborhood ecology, with projects ranging from providing education programs by leading holistic medicine leaders to supporting community access to green, sustainable food and resources. Our objective is to establish a new system of access to easy, effective, and economical wellness care and to help our clients to achieve optimal health, happiness, and purposeful lives.

3. Who was your inspiration?
My grandparents and the people in the rural community in Taiwan where I grew up inspired me. There the respect for ancient Chinese practices of health and longevity are strong. High school and college encounters with inspiring biology and physics teachers lead to several science degrees, but I felt something was missing. I began to study holistic healing and found my calling and inspiration in the principles of natural healing and in the community of others such as the women founders of 4Women Community Clinic.

4. What turns you on?
I love it when my clients respond and heal with my help. I am deeply enthusiastic about the Wans 3E method of acupuncture, which focuses on ease and efficiency of diagnoses and treatment leading to economical use of fewer needles, less work, less time, and fewer herbs. I am also trained in other healing modalities, and I am fully committed to finding the best treatment for each individual.

5. What advice do you have for tomorrow’s female entrepreneurs?
Persistence and passion are the keys, I believe.

6. Tell us a sexy secret ;-)
I love ballroom dancing, but my 6’2” musician husband seems to have two left feet. Perhaps the fact that I am 5” has something to do with it! I also love being a mom and laughing with my two children ages 5 and 3.